Georgia takes 2 of 3 from South Carolina in baseball, sweep Kentucky in softball and other sports news of the spring

The Diamond Dawgs had a good weekend, getting back to .500 overall in taking a series from top 10 ranked South Carolina.  Ryan Lawlor pitched his 3rd complete game in his last four outings for the win Friday night as the sophomore lefty continued his strong season.  Lawlor spent last year at Middle Georgia as a freshman, after coming from Calvary Day in Savannah.  Georgia had Letterman Day on Saturday, losing game 2, before sophomore 1B Lee Nichols belted a 3rd inning grand slam that ultimately made the difference in a 5-3 victory on Sunday.

Scott Stricklin's club is still struggling as it sits 6th in the SEC East, but just one win behind Kentucky and Tennessee thanks to that time-caused tie leaving LSU.  With finals coming to an end today and tomorrow on campus, Georgia next takes the field Wednesday evening when they host Savannah State at 6 p.m.  That game on the 7th will be followed by a trip to SEC West leading Ole Miss this coming weekend.  Then comes the final week of the regular season, with the season series decided at Turner Field in Atlanta against Georgia Tech after we won at home and they won off North Avenue.  That game will be on Tuesday the 13th at 7 p.m., and the season ends with Kentucky coming to Foley Field for three games between Thursday the 15th and Saturday the 17th.

A top 10 ranked Kentucky softball team came to town this weekend, only to head back to Lexington with their tails between their legs losing all 3 games.  Friday's W came courtesy of a trio of HRs. Saturday was a 4-1 win televised by ESPN U. Sunday's victory put Georgia in a 3 way tie for 3rd in the SEC as the regular season finished.  That is good enough for a 4th/5th seed showdown with Florida on Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. in Columbia, SC for this year's SEC Tournament.

Tournament action is what a lot of teams around town are preparing for right now.  In addition to softball's SEC Tournament this coming weekend,women's tennis takes on Elon Friday at 4 in NCAA Tournament first round action at the Dan Magill courts.  The men go Saturday at 1 against Jacksonville State to start their NCAA Tournament, also in Athens.

Women's golf will be in Tallahassee on Thursday to begin their NCAA Tournament dreams.  The top 8 from a 24 team field will advance to the NCAA Championships in Tulsa later this month.  Joining the Dawgs and Florida State on the Seminoles' home course will be top seed and third ranked Duke, #5 South Carolina, #9 Stanford, #12 Vanderbilt, #14 Pepperdine, #17 Central Florida, #20 Virginia, #24 Auburn, and then unranked opponents N.C. State, Kentucky, Tulane, Louisville, Baylor, East Tennessee State, Campbell, East Carolina, Texas State, College of Charleston, Troy, Murray State, Seton Hall and Alabama State.

Men's golf will have their regional announced this week, and it begins next week on the 15th.  The Bulldog track & field squad will host the Georgia Invitational this Saturday, the 10th, all day long in what is their final meet before the SEC Championships begin in Lexington, Ky, also on May 15th.